Our View: Freetown's lesson in responsibility

Monday

Jul 21, 2014 at 6:00 PMJul 21, 2014 at 6:47 PM

When it comes to keeping the grass mowed in the middle of summer, there's no question that it's a big job. That work on the Freetown Youth Athletic Association's fields had been picked up by members of the town's Highway Department — at taxpayers' expense.

Editorial Board

When it comes to keeping the grass mowed in the middle of summer, there’s no question that it’s a big job. That work on the Freetown Youth Athletic Association’s fields had been picked up by members of the town’s Highway Department — at taxpayers’ expense.

As a result, mowing work had fallen behind in other areas of town that the Highway Department is actually responsible for maintaining. The issue came to light last week when Highway Supervisor Charles “Chuck” Macomber told selectmen about his department’s dilemma.

Certainly, it would not be fiscally feasible or responsible for the town to hire more landscaping staff to maintain the privately owned fields on the taxpayers’ dime. “The only other option is to take away the workload on our shoulders,” Macomber said.

While the town and FYAA agreed to mow Central Park in exchange for the Highway Department’s continued field maintenance for this year, Selectman Lee Baumgartner told FYAA President Mike Boehler that the association should be prepared to mow the grass at all of its parks next year. “You own the field, you lease it, it’s not a town field,” Baumgartner told the FYAA.

But taking on those field maintenance responsibilities is easier said than done. As Keith Scholz, co-director of field services for the FYAA, pointed out: “If they stop mowing, and somebody else has to mow, who’s going to mow?”

It’s a tall order for the all-volunteer FYAA, where Scholz said he’s already putting in 20 hours of work a week maintaining the fields. That work should not all fall on board members who also have to juggle professional and family responsibilities.

One option that ought to be explored would encourage town youth, including those who participate in FYAA programs, to volunteer to help with maintenance under adult supervision. Such a program could give youths something productive to do in the summer, teach them landscaping skills and a valuable lesson in responsibility and community service.

Perhaps some youths could even “work off” their membership fees for the program. Perhaps Boy Scouts or other youth groups could step forward to help. Maybe teenagers could participate to gain community service hours.

While it’s great that the town has been able to provide this service in the past and FYAA does provide a great program for the benefit of the town’s youth, it is not the Highway Department’s responsibility to maintain private property, while town property becomes unkempt.

It’s said that many hands make light work. Let’s hope that the FYAA can develop a robust volunteer program that encourages the youth and families who benefit from the program to help maintain the association’s property. The answer to this dilemma is out of the hands of town government, but may be found in the hearts and hands of Freetown’s people.